Taking Sides

The dreaded side-parted comb-over gets a glamorous reinterpretation.

Of all the grooming cries for help, few trump the comb-over. The side-to-side slick has long been viewed as a poorly executed cover-up for certain follicularly challenged men, so it was quite the surprise to see glamorous interpretations of it turn up at the spring 2013 shows. Odile Gilbert’s aggressively off-kilter part was ear-level low at Rodarte, while Guido Palau did a more wearable retro version at Marc Jacobs. “A deep side part is really flattering because it frames the face and softens the forehead,” Palau says. “You can do a severe full sweep or make it piece-y and rebellious, like we did at Marc.” Palau created the side parts with his fingers, then sprayed in Redken Powder Refresh Dry Shampoo to give it all a grungy texture. “The look has that ’60s spirit of Edie Sedgwick,” Palau says. “But it’s still a cool style that Kate Moss would wear today.”